The Cost of Freedom Galatians 4:17-31
They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
(Two Covenants)
21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law; do you not hear the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— 25 for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: “ Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband.” 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.
Introduction: The Judaizers goal was to exclude the Galatians from God’s gracious salvation and win recognition for themselves. Remember, Paul wrote Galatians to counter judaizing false teachers who were undermining the central NT doctrine of justification by faith. These judaizers spread dangerous teaching such as; Gentiles must first become Jewish proselytes and submit to all the Mosaic Law before they could become Christians. Therefore, One big reason Paul wrote this letter was to defend the message of faith.
Galatians 4:17NLT Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them.
False teachers and their teachings always have a motive outside of scripture. They came to exclude the Galatians from God’s gracious salvation, and win recognition for themselves.
Romans 10:2NLT I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal.
Galatians 4:18NLT If someone is eager to do good things for you, that’s all right; but let them do it all the time, not just when I’m with you.
Paul is saying to these Galatians to have the same zeal for the gospel of grace as they did when he was with them. (Be faithful all the time.)
Galatians 4:19NLT Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.
This is the only time Paul uses these words of affection. 19b, I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, Paul hurts for those being mislead.
Verse 19c, the goal of salvation is Christ likeness.
Romans 8:29NLT For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Galatians 4:20NLT I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance I don’t know how else to help you.
Of course in the King James Paul uses the word doubt, Paul is actually saying, I’m at wits end with them.
Galatians 4:21NLT Tell me, you who want to live under the law; do you know what the law actually says?
Deuteronomy 27:26NLT ‘Cursed is anyone who does not affirm and obey the terms of these instructions.’ And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’
Failure to keep the entire law brings divine judgment and condemnation. (One violation brings the curse of God.)
James 2:10NLT For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
Galatians 4:22NLT The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.
The first son, Ishmael- son of Sarah’s Egyptian maid Hagar, and the second, Isaac, Sarah’s promised son.
Galatians 4:23NLT The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.
Ishmael’s birth was motivated by Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith in God’s promises.
2 Corinthians 1:19-21NLT For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,
Remember this; if you birth an Ishmael you will always change its dippers.
Galatians 4:24-26NLT These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them. 25 And now Jerusalem is just like Mount Sinai in Arabia, because she and her children live in slavery to the law. 26 But the other woman, Sarah, represents the heavenly Jerusalem. She is the free woman, and she is our mother.
The contrast here is about those who live under slavery of the law, and those who are free through the grace of Jesus Christ. The law speaks of, doing, earning, work and work some more. The free woman (grace) speaks of faith and trust while waiting on His promise, His word.
Luke 4:18NLT “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,
2 Corinthians 3:17NLT For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Galatians 4:27NLT As Isaiah said, “Rejoice, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into a joyful shout, you who have never been in labor! For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband!”
Those who live for the Jerusalem above can proclaim Isaiah 54:1NLT “Sing, O childless woman, you who have never given birth! Break into loud and joyful song, O Jerusalem, you who have never been in labor. For the desolate woman now has more children than the woman who lives with her husband,” says the Lord.
Galatians 4:28NLT And you, dear brothers and sisters, are children of the promise, just like Isaac.
Every believer in here is the recipient of God’s redemptive promises.
Ephesians 1:3NLT All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.
Galatians 4:29NLT But you are now being persecuted by those who want you to keep the law, just as Ishmael, the child born by human effort, persecuted Isaac, the child born by the power of the Spirit.
The Flesh tries to persecute the Spirit. Unbelievers have always persecuted believers.
Galatians 4:30NLT But what do the Scriptures say about that? “Get rid of the slave and her son, for the son of the slave woman will not share the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”
For those who would attempt to live by keeping the whole Law, they will be cast out from the presence of God.
Romans 8:6KJ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Galatians 4:31 So, dear brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman; we are children of the free woman.
Your freedom has been paid in full! The cost of freedom wasn’t free was it?
